Ordering my new trailer with an aluminum roof

[BigBob]

I'm going to order a new Sunline TT in the next couple weeks. These come std with a rubber roof. Since rubber roofs in general have had such a firestorm of bad press from so many owners, I want to order an aluminum roof instead. I've spoken to the factory rep and this custom roof treatment is available at extra cost. If it's a grand or less I'm a buyer. I will keep this trailer for a long time. Does this option sound sensible all things considered??

BigBob

[BigBob]

I'm going to order a new Sunline TT in the next couple weeks. These come std with a rubber roof. Since rubber roofs in general have had such a firestorm of bad press from so many owners, I want to order an aluminum roof instead. I've spoken to the factory rep and this custom roof treatment is available at extra cost. If it's a grand or less I'm a buyer. I will keep this trailer for a long time. Does this option sound sensible all things considered??

BigBob

[Paul Heuvelhorst]

Big Bob,
We owned a trailer that had an aluminum exterior skin all over, roof included. In a rainstorm it is so noisy my wife & I had difficulty carrying on a conversation. When we got caught in a mid-west thunderstorm complete with hail the noise was almost deafening. Listening to the radio or TV was impossible in both situations.

The TT we now have has a rubber roof and we've had no problems with it in the 4 years we've owned it. The quietness is wonderful.

I recommend the rubber roof as long as you are buying a quality trailer like the Sunline.

[BigBob]

Thank you Paul for your reply. With all the discussions that have taken place on rubber roofs I'm surprised at only one responce to this posting. Nobody else have any thoughts on this alternative approach.

BigBob

[RustyJC]

Between aluminum and EPDM (EPDM: Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer), each have their advantages and disadvantages. Our previous two 5th wheels each had an EPDM roof, and I can't complain about the service either gave us. Of course, our 5th wheels stayed in covered storage when not in use, so that helps. Our current 5th wheel uses a UV-stabilized vinyl material, and it's holding up fine.

Rusty

[Jeff_in_The_Dalles]

It seems to me that when you compare the two, EDPM requires you to be careful about what chemicals you use to clean it, what kind of product you use when it comes time to reseal around vents, and you have to be more careful about low hanging branches.

The metal roof units I have been around have been loud, as previously noted, some aren't designed to be walked on (which can be a pain when a vent needs fixed or whatever), and some of the older units can develop leaks which may be very difficult to seal (probably from expanding/contracting in heat).

EDPM seems to last a long time if you don't damage it (either with chemicals or a tree branch), using a EDPM treatment/cleaner a couple of times a year seems to prevent mine from giving off chalky residue, and if it comes down to it they don't seem to be all that expensive or difficult to replace.

[K-Star]

My last trailer had an aluminum roof. i never had a problem with it. I did not have an issue with noise during rain as a previous poster mentioned that he did.

[Eric L]

Our previous trailer had the EDPM roof, I needed to check all of the seals (caulk) every 6 months. I had a few leaks that I couldnt detect until the water came inside. One was around the roof antenna. I have learned what to look for with that. Our new Trailer has the UV Stabilzied vinyl that some call sheet fiberglass. It uses the same caulk as the EDPM roof.
I never had an issue with the EDPM roofing material with the exception of the black streaks. The vinyl has not shown very little black streak issues.

[BigBob]

Well no aluminum roof for me since the Sunline factory has come back with a $1539 price quote for this modification to the particular model I'm buying...just not worth it to me at this price. I'll put the extra effort into caring for the rubber roof and hope for the best. I appreciate the replies.

BigBob

[Ray,IN]

That is odd. Several years ago a hailstorm damaged our all aluminum skinned 5er. This required the entire roof and drivers side be replaced. My insurance company offered to replace the aluminum roof with EPDM as both were the same price. I chose EPDM, and the insurance company paid the repair bill unhesitatingly. After installation the interior was noticeably quieter. I knew the weight of the 5er before the rubber roof was installed, so I weighed it afterwords. The EPDM membrane and 1/4" underlayment added 300 lbs to the 5er's weight.

[Paul Heuvelhorst]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> Originally posted by Eric L:
Our previous trailer had the EDPM roof, I needed to check all of the seals (caulk) every 6 months. I had a few leaks that I couldnt detect until the water came inside. One was around the roof antenna. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Our trailer is now 5 years old (bought in summer of 2001), and the EDPM roof has never leaked. I do not clean it every 6 months like many do, I have changed 2 of the 3 vents to Fantastic Fans, added vent cover's to all 3 vents, and repaired the antenna that was ripped out of the roof by a careless mover as he took it out of winter storage. I caulked the vent work and the antenna work carefully each time I was up there, but the original caulking around the edges and other vents on the roof are in great condition.

My personal opinion is that some have roof problems because they spend too much time up on the roof. I don't. JMHO.

[Jeff_in_The_Dalles]

Yeah, when I got my trailer (now 9 years old) a couple of years ago, I don't think the caulking had ever been touched and there were no signs of leaks. Some of the caulk had cracks and gaps in it, so I carefully pulled it off, cleaned everything up, and put fresh caulk on...

It only took a few hours, and I used like 3 tubes of EDPM sealant and some mineral spirits.

Truth be told, I think a lot of trailer builders switched to EDPM more because it is easier for them to ship, store, and handle since it comes in rolls.